The stranger politely moved to make way for the
newcomers, and went to lean against another pillar. Emilie, as much
nettled by his politeness as she might have been by an impertinence,
began talking to her brother in a louder voice than good taste
enjoined; she turned and tossed her head, gesticulated eagerly, and
laughed for no particular reason, less to amuse her brother than to
attract the attention of the imperturbable stranger. None of her
little arts succeeded. Mademoiselle de Fontaine then followed the
direction in which his eyes were fixed, and discovered the cause of
his indifference.
In the midst of the quadrille, close in front of them, a pale girl was
dancing; her face was like one of the divinities which Girodet has
introduced into his immense composition of French Warriors received by
Ossian. Emilie fancied that she recognized her as a distinguished
milady who for some months had been living on a neighboring estate.
Her partner was a lad of about fifteen, with red hands, and dressed in
nankeen trousers, a blue coat, and white shoes, which showed that the
damsel's love of dancing made her easy to please in the matter of
partners. Her movements did not betray her apparent delicacy, but a
faint flush already tinged her white cheeks, and her complexion was
gaining color. Mademoiselle de Fontaine went nearer, to be able to
examine the young lady at the moment when she returned to her place,
while the side couples in their turn danced the figure.
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